Seven Skilled High School Athletes to Join NU Soccer Team

Seven skilled high school athletes will join the Husker soccer team next fall, Nebraska Head Coach John Walker announced on Thursday, Feb. 7.

The group includes Nikki Baker, a 5-foot-6 forward from Broken Arrow, Okla.; Amber Boldt, a 5-5 midfielder form Papillion, Neb.; Katie Bunkers, a 5-8 defender from Sioux Falls, S.D.; Vern Fitzgerald, a 5-7 midfielder from Lincoln, Neb.; Kari Hogan, a 5-6 midfielder/forward from Lakewood, Colo. Pam Karakusis, a 5-11 midfielder from Littleton, Colo.; and Aly Scace, a 5-6 midfielder/forward from Talala, Okla.

"We feel very good about this group," Walker said. "We've addressed a lot of needs. I think it's one of the most technical groups we've had in the last few years. It's a very athletic group with a good skill level. We're looking forward to their arrival."

Baker, a senior at Bixby (Okla.) High School, helped the Tulsa Soccer Club to the 2001 Oklahoma State Cup title, and is a member of the Olympic Development Program's Region III team.

"Nikki is a very powerful, explosive goal-scoring forward," Walker said. "She has excellent speed and is just a very dangerous player."

Boldt, a left-footed athlete at Papillion-LaVista High School, scored six goals and seven assists as a junior last spring for the Monarchs, who finished 5-11 and earned runner-up honors in District A-5. An all-state selection, Boldt was also a member of the Sabre club team in the West Omaha Gladiator Soccer Club.

"Amber is a very skilled, technical player," Walker said. "She is a true creative midfielder with a powerful shot."

Bunkers is a three-time all-state soccer selection at Sioux Falls (S.D.) O'Gorman High School. She led O'Gorman to the state championship in the fall of 2000. Bunkers also finished second in the 400 meters (58.45) and fourth in the 100 meters (12.67) at the 2001 South Dakota Class AA state track meet.

"Katie is an excellent athlete," Walker said. "She has a good skill level and displays strong leadership traits."

Fitzgerald, a senior at Lincoln East High School, helped the Spartans to a 17-3 finish in 2001. She was a Class A all-state selection as a junior in 2001.

"Vern is a good passer in the midfield and a good ball winner," Walker said. "She's a good athlete with a lot of potential."

Hogan, a senior at Wheat Ridge (Colo.) High School, was a first-team All-Jefferson County Conference selection in 2001, and earned honorable-mention all-state honors. She is a teammate of Karakusis on the under-18 team in the Colorado Girls Soccer Academy, which finished the 2001 season ranked fourth in the United States. The team won its seventh Colorado State Cup title in 2001.

"Kari is a great dribbler and has excellent speed," Walker said. "She's an out-and-out one-versus-one player. She's a very creative player as well."

Karakusis, a senior at Columbine High School (Littleton, Colo.), was also a member of the Olympic Development Program's Region IV team.

"Pam is a real dominant, physical player," Walker said. "She has an excellent skill level and good leadership traits. She is someone who can pass the ball and start the attack. Most importantly, she's someone who can physically dominate the midfield."

Scace, a senior at Oologah-Talala High School (Oologah, Okla.), is a teammate of Baker on the Tulsa Soccer Club and a member of Oklahoma's Olympic Development Program. She has been a part of Tulsa Soccer Club teams that have claimed Oklahoma State Cup titles in each of the past seven seasons. In 2001, the club reached the Region III finals, falling 3-2 in overtime. Scace, a captain on the club team, and Baker will be the first Oklahomans to play soccer at Nebraska.

"Aly has excellent speed and is a very good one-versus-one player," Walker said. "Her skill level is good and she brings a physical approach to the game. She's someone that has a ton of potential."

The Huskers, who started spring practice on Friday, Feb. 1, will play their first game of the spring against the Region III team on Feb. 22 in Austin, Texas. Nebraska, which finished its 2001 season at 17-5-1 with a loss to Portland in the NCAA Tournament's round of 16, will be without the services of departed seniors Meghan Anderson, Danica Carey, Becky Preston, Kelly Rheem, Shannon Tanaka and Najah Williams.